May 12, 2004

Two Year Grant Will Support Tribal Library Project

(University of Arizona, Tucson) Arizona State Museum (University of Arizona), and the Arizona State Library were awarded a $248,829 National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency that serves the public by strengthening museums and libraries. The two year grant will support the initiatives of the project titled, Preserving Our Language, Memory and Lifeways: Enhancing Partnerships with Tribal Libraries, Museums, and Archives. The major grant activities include: developing three model projects of collaboration; disseminating a national directory of tribal libraries, archives and museums; and convening a national conference of tribal libraries, archives and museums.

The goal of the model projects are to encourage and sustain communication among tribal and non-tribal cultural organizations and state agencies by promoting cooperative and mutually beneficial partnerships. "Despite the increased access to technology based communications, there is still a need for facilitating person to person contact. Barriers to library, archive and museum service, particularly among Native American communities often lie in misperceptions about the purpose of these types of organizations. This includes tribally operated organizations as well as those outside the jurisdiction of tribal communities. The model projects, as well as the directory and national conference are designed to allow diverse professionals to begin to explore collaborative projects as a solution to mutual concerns," says Alyce Sadongei, Assistant Curator for Native American Relations at the Arizona State Museum and project director for the grant.

Participating in the development of the model projects are the Tamastislikt Cultural Institute (Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation), Pendleton, Oregon and the Oregon State Library; The Colorado River Indian Tribes Library and Archive, Parker, Arizona and the Arizona State Library; The Akwesasne Library and Museum (Mohawk Nation) Hogansburg, New York. The results of the model projects will be featured at the national conference.

The national conference will be held at the Mesa Centennial Center, Mesa, Arizona. May 24-27, 2005. "We hope to attract up to 300 tribal representatives and their non-tribal colleagues from libraries, archives and museums across the country", says Susan Secakuku, Project Coordinator. "It will be a unique opportunity for people to come together to increase their personal networks, receive training and to share information."

The grant activities build on, and are informed by a previous awarded National Leadership Grant that was awarded to a consortium of five western state library agencies and museums called the Five State American Indian Project. Two of the original partners in that first grant, the Arizona State Library and the Arizona State Museum have continued to work together. "The partnership between the Arizona State Museum and the Arizona State Library has been very successful," says Jane Kolbe, Director of the Library Development Division. The Arizona State Library has since developed a strong relationship with the tribal libraries in our state. We are pleased to assist other state library agencies in this same endeavor." Hartman Lomawaima, Director of the Arizona State Museum echoes the sentiment. "The Arizona State Museum has a history of working with tribes in the state and we are proud to be one of the catalysts in promoting the contemporary cultural work of tribal communities. Strengthening cultural preservation and revitalization efforts of tribal communities is central to this project."

For more information contact: Alyce Sadongei, Assistant Curator for Native American Relations at Arizona State Museum, (520) 621-4500